This invention relates generally to improvements in golf clubs. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved temporary connection between a golf club shaft and an additional club component such as a club head and/or a hand grip segment to facilitate customized golf club construction to suit the needs and preferences of an individual golfer. With this construction, multiple club heads and/or multiple hand grip segments can be assembled with one or more golf club shafts, wherein these components may exhibit different characteristics for golfer sampling and testing in the course of actual playing conditions. Accordingly, customized golf club construction to suit the needs and preferences of an individual golfer is facilitated.
Golf clubs are well known in the art, to include a club head such as a wood-type or iron-type club head mounted at a lower end of an elongated club shaft. An upper end of the club shaft has a resilient grip mounted thereon and designed for comfortable manual grasping and swinging of the golf club to strike a golf ball. In modern golf clubs, the wood-type or iron-type club head is commonly formed from a cast or forged metal or metal alloy such as stainless steel, titanium alloy, and the like. The club shaft has historically been formed from a selected metal or metal alloy, while more recent golf club designs have incorporated a nonmetallic club shaft formed from a composite material such as a graphite-based composite or the like. One advantage provided by such graphite-based composite club shaft materials is that the stiffness or flexibility (whip) characteristics of the club shaft can be variably selected in accordance with the preferences and skill level of an individual golfer. That is, by providing a golfer with a selection of club shafts having a range of different whip characteristics, the golfer can custom-tailor his or her set of golf clubs.
In the past, custom fitting of golf clubs having different physical characteristics, such as different club shaft stiffness and lengths, has required a golf shop to carry a large number of sample clubs for test use by golfers. More specifically, for each golf club head, it has been necessary for the golf shop to carry multiple sample club heads of each particular brand and type, each connected to a club shaft having different physical characteristics, for test use by golfers. For example, for any particular driver or other wood-type club head brand, or for any particular iron-type or putter club head brand, it has been necessary for the golf shop to carry a relatively large number of different sample clubs in order to provide a meaningful choice for custom-fitting of each golf club in accordance with the preferences of any one golfer. Accordingly, it has not been possible for a golfer to sample and test a large number of different club shaft-head combinations, without requiring the golf shop to carry an unduly large number of sample clubs. As a result, custom-fitting of golf clubs to an individual golfer generally has not provided the golfer with a truly broad selection of shaft-head combinations, and thus has not provided the golfer with an optimal choice for custom tailored clubs.
Heretofore, a practical and feasible interconnection has not been available to permit multiple club shafts and multiple club heads to be interchangeably mounted quickly and easily, and in a manner permitting test usage of the assembled club by an individual golfer during actual playing conditions. In this regard, prior concepts for interchangeably mounting golf club shafts and club heads have utilized threaded bolts or thread-on mounting arrangements which have exhibited undesired degrees of movement between the assembled components, particularly when those components are subjected to the high impact and shock forces encountered upon normal club use to strike a golf ball.
The resilient hand grip mounted on the upper end of a typical club shaft also comprises a variable in the design and custom fitting of golf clubs to suit the needs and preferences of an individual golfer. That is, resilient hand grips are available in a relatively broad range of different diametric sizes, tread patterns, and elastomer or other soft and compliant materials. The choice of hand grip size is dependent at least in part upon the size of the golfer's hands, with a larger grip diameter being normally preferred by a golfer having larger hands. Hand grip tread pattern and/or the softness or tackiness of the hand grip material may vary significantly in accordance with individual golfer preferences.
The present invention relates to an improved and versatile golf club custom fitting system and method utilizing a temporary connection for secure and stable mounting of a golf club shaft with at least one additional club component such as a club head and/or a hand grip segment, thereby permitting quick and easy temporary assembly of any one of a wide range of shaft-component combinations, so that an individual golfer can be provided with an extensive range of shaft-component combinations for test usage during actual playing conditions in the course of custom fitting of a set of golf clubs, without requiring a golf shop to carry an extremely large number of different sample golf clubs for test use. When the individual golfer decides upon a particular shaft-component combination for any specific golf club, the golf club can then be manufactured with the selected club head connection permanently to the club shaft, and with the selected hand grip, etc.